Just for discussion,.....

Thoughts and input on anything related to wet shaving or men's grooming.
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kingfisher
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Just for discussion,.....

Post by kingfisher »

which do you think deviates most from the purist DE shave: 1) the Trac II, which has more than one blade edge but is fixed and requires the user to control the angle, or 2) the Gillette Guard, which only has one blade but has a pivoting head that maintains the angle automatically?

Remember, this is not a discussion of the relative merits of either of these two shaving tools. Nor am I dismissing either. In fact, I have both systems and use them on occasion. I just want your thoughts as to which is furthest removed from a true DE shave?
"If we had steak, we could have steak and eggs, if we had some eggs."
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kronos9
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by kronos9 »

Anything with a pivot.
Ed
brothers
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by brothers »

After some thought, I've decided the Guard is the most removed from the standard DE principle. To quote your statement above, every DE razor has "more than one blade edge but is fixed and requires the user to control the angle", just like a Trac II which also has two blade edges. Plus, every DE razor has a fixed head just like a Trac II, not pivoting. The Guard has only one blade edge and a pivoting head, so that's my reasoning.
Gary

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beartrap
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by beartrap »

I don't know what the difference is, I don't consider this a deviation if it works for you. I use DE exclusively but always take Guard for travel and love it. I don't think too much about it :D
Steve
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by brothers »

If we want to be technically accurate, both the Guard and the Trac II are actually disposable cartridges, single blade and 2 blade, respectively. Interesting that they were both invented by Gillette, with an interval of over 40 years between the two.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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Squire
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by Squire »

A pivoting head is the work of Satan.
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Craig_From_Cincy
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by Craig_From_Cincy »

THIS:
Squire wrote:A pivoting head is the work of Satan.
Cheers,

Craig
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by brothers »

There was a pivoting head in the movie The Exorcist. Too scary for me.
Gary

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drmoss_ca
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by drmoss_ca »

brothers wrote:There was a pivoting head in the movie The Exorcist. Too scary for me.
Very good, Gary. It put me off pea soup for half an hour or so.

And yet, I find myself having to note that I used a Sensor for several years and got on well with it - better than the Trac II. On the other hand, I put two Feather Pros in my Cobra a couple of weeks ago and managed to shave with the equivalent of the world's most overpriced Trac II. (And it was just OK. I don't want to start a stupid fashion.) Evidently I must be the spawn of satan to take all this in my stride. Better watch out for news reports of rural Canadians being struck by lightning....

Chris
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notthesharpest
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by notthesharpest »

Pivoting-head razors are made by people. It would be more accurate to say "Pivoting heads are the work of Stan". (but not the Stan who I work with.) ;)
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Squire
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by Squire »

The hand of Satan is at work everywhere, just witness mechanically harvested green tomatos that are then treated with gas in a sealed room to turn them red.
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by notthesharpest »

Squire wrote:The hand of Satan is at work everywhere, just witness mechanically harvested green tomatos that are then treated with gas in a sealed room to turn them red.
I'll agree on that one. (I just ate a tomato 2 minutes after picking it from my little garden.)
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by brothers »

kingfisher wrote:which do you think deviates most from the purist DE shave: 1) the Trac II, which has more than one blade edge but is fixed and requires the user to control the angle, or 2) the Gillette Guard, which only has one blade but has a pivoting head that maintains the angle automatically?

Remember, this is not a discussion of the relative merits of either of these two shaving tools. Nor am I dismissing either. In fact, I have both systems and use them on occasion. I just want your thoughts as to which is furthest removed from a true DE shave?
I've managed to get some Schick Slim Twin blade cartridges, and maybe in a few days I'll have the reusable (ala the Gillette Guard and Trac II) Schick Slim Twin razor handle, and am going to be quite curious as to how the Schick will perform in comparison to the DE and the Trac II and Guard.
Gary

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JarmoP
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by JarmoP »

I go also in that line that a pivoting head is a no no in respect to DE way of shaving. I did use some non pivot Gillette 2 blade disposables a really long time ago and did not like them a bit.

It must have been my lack of technique most likely. I was an electric foil shaver for decades and used such things to take care of my neck hairs that the electric never could. Then i used 3 blade Personna cartridge pivotable razor I still have and found it more liking. I think it was some copy of a gillette razor, maybe sensor excel.

After I learned my DE shaving there was no turning back to cartridge shaving. A 2 blade fixed Trac II could be just fine for me now but why bother with the added costs. That is not to say that a pivoting head can be much easier for a casual shaver and some beard/skin types. Everyone to their own shavings.

What I really like about BIC Sensitive is that you can take them when you travel so easy. My skin does not like the blade too much, but I am always recommending it to newbie shavers wanting to go DE way. Better recommendation would be i guess go straight to a DE. Something like Merkur or Muehle/Jagger head. A new shaver can't much respect a light weight BIC I guess and applies too much pressure.
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by brothers »

Jarmo, good point regarding the weight of a razor. I think we all prefer the heavier (all metal) handles because they just seem to have a noticeable effect on the quality of the shave. Light weight seems to rob the cutting head of it's effectiveness and the smoothness of the shave.
Gary

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Squire
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by Squire »

Of course the weight of a razor has nothing to do with the sharpness of the blade which is the business end of the instrument. The disposables do require a slightly tighter grip and a bit of pressure to work but that technique is not a problem so long as the user switches back to a relaxed hold and no pressure when using a traditional razor.
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JarmoP
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by JarmoP »

Yes Gary, my 60s or 70s Gillette Sportsman Tech became a much better shaver after I replaced the original aluminum light weight handle with Feather Portable's one.
I always like the balance point of the razor be between my index finger and thumb and the razor was too head heavy orighinally. I am a bit unusual shaver in that i always use just a darts hold. The spoon hold that most like Mantic etc use for upwards stroke I never learned nor need now anymore. That is why I can get so well with short handle razors.

I think I made a poll once in that other shaving site that I later managed to get myself banned lol, thanks to that Gary Grant avatar guy many years ago, no connection to you Gary of course. The interesting results was I think that about 33% used only darts hold and 66% used both holds. This of course as above goes beyond this thread topic and hope no one gets offended. But as I know you fellow shavers like to read. :)

Squire, I think you like BIC Sensitives as travel etc. You are fond of Feather blades and I think BICs are quite sharp too. I would definately stay away of applying more pressure though with them lightweights. Somehow one of my fave blades is Super Iridium. It does not irritate my skin like Feather does but they are still very sharp quality blades.

Oh well now this whole thread has been hijacked by my post, sorry about that.
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Squire
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Re: Just for discussion,.....

Post by Squire »

Thread hijacking is a fine art around here Jarmo.
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Squire
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